6/11/12

From 100 to zero

My regular followers know that I am usually going a hundred miles an hour, working on multiple projects at a time, zooming along at the speed of light...a quilt related whirling dervish, if you will.

But, lately, I just can't get my mind around much of anything quilt related.  This became obvious when Rob was in the sewing room the other day and said "What happened to the silk quilt?  Is it just waiting?  Or are you trying to figure out how to finish it?"  It is just waiting, under the excuse of I can't figure out how to finish it.  I did figure out how to finish it.  I just don't want to do it.  It's going to be a ton of intense, high focus, tiny work and I just can't get motivated to sit down and do that. 

Even my jubilee quilt is languishing.  I tried to work on a block over the weekend, but it was just so many pieces and I couldn't quite wrap my head around it.  I need to find my excitement about that again. 

And, those table runners?  Bah!  Who knows whether I'll ever get sufficient motivation to do that.  Although, they would be a good finger work project for vacation.  Small enough that I could even hand quilt them without having to sit under a quilt. 

I did get my friend's table runner finished.  And, washed, and blocked.  but, did I get it packed to mail?  Nope.  It's sitting on my sewing table with all the stuff to go into the box.  Just no box.  Not that I didn't find a ton of boxes in the right size while I was cleaning in the garage over the weekend.  I just didn't bring one in and pack and seal and address it.

I want a new backpack.  One really small.  I found one in a store not long ago that cost way more than I wanted to spend, so I took pictures with my phone.  I've been thinking about how to make it and yesterday, I gave it a try.  I made the muslin and it came out terrific!  In fact, I could use it, except it doesn't have the zippers in it and the stitches are all really big basting stitches.  I need to shop for the zippers and webbing for the shoulder strap and then I can make the real one.  But, I haven't.  Just couldn't get to the store over the weekend.


So, if I'm not accomplishing anything, why does my sewing space look like this?  Three machines, each threaded for a different project.  And scraps everywhere.  I will confess that I cleaned it all up yesterday because I just couldn't stand to look at it anymore.
We did spend a small fortune on summer clothes.  Sydney needs summer clothes and we all needed something new for vacation.  I picked up two shirts that needed small repairs.  I brought them home, made the repairs and tried them on and one turned out to be a women's shirt...Large, which would be my size in a men's shirt and it was on the men's rack and I tried it on over a shirt and thought it would work, but I didn't button it up or I would have realized that it buttoned on the wrong side.  Anyway, I repaired it and now it's headed back to goodwill because Sydney announced she would not wear it, even before I asked.  Another shirt that needed repairs looked like my size, but it wasn't.  Fortunately, it fit Rob, so I don't feel too bad about making repairs to it.

Look who picked out a dress.  She actually picked out two.  On sale.  Way too expensive for the amount of fabric or the amount of stitching involved in them.  But, she picked out a dress!  It was a moment.  Okay, it needs a blue sweater.  Not sure where we'll find that.  But, it's a dress!  Not a t-shirt and jeans.


And, sandals!  It was such a girl moment. 

And, when she picked this to wear out to dinner on Saturday nite, we just had to have pictures.  A dress!  And, sandals!  Rob and I felt under dressed for dinner for the first time.

And, just so I can add something to the done pile, I found this twin sized quilt on the trash pile this morning.  Somebody was moving and they basically put everything they didn't want on the curb.  We can't really use a twin sized quilt, even though this one is pretty (but cheaply and badly made with huge hand quilting stitches that are more like basting than quilting) so it will be the starter for the Linus pile.  Sometimes you just have to prime the pump to get something started.

I dragged it home and washed and dried it.  Sydney made an ugly comment that didn't matter because I don't plan to keep it.  I might even load some blue thread in the machine and do some more quilting on it.  Goodness knows I don't have enough of my own projects waiting, right?

Okay, so that's enough of me griping because I can't get myself motivated to do what I want to do.  I'm plenty motivated for what needs to be done...Sydney summer camp and basketball camp and prepping for vacation.  But, that's not getting any quilts quilted.  I guess the problem here is that doing all the stuff I need to be doing is taking up all my mental capacity from the things I'd like to be doing.  And, I'm slightly put out with my inability to do 15 tasks at a time right now.

Anyway, how about we finish with a funny food story.  Yesterday, I decided to make a peach cobbler.  I had some peaches in the freezer and wanted to use them and a cobbler just sounded delicious.  So, I found my recipe and I thawed the peaches and I put it all together and added the topper and put it in the toaster oven and for once, didn't forget it and burn the top.  Last night, I dished up peach cobbler and whipped cream.  I took a bite and it tasted funny.  Rob took a bite and asked what was wrong with it.  He said the peaches tasted like paint.  I didn't want to admit it, but he was right.  Sydney's comment was that's what happens when you leave peaches in the freezer that were picked by Moses.  And, she was right.  They were really old.  But, I didn't expect them to taste like paint.  So, that went in the trash.  Except the whipped cream.  We all ate our whipped cream.  And, that was last night's desert.

Have a great Monday.  Lane

10 comments:

Kath said...

Sydney looks SO pretty, you must be very proud.

Samantha said...

I went through a 3 month period where I didn't sew at all. Sometimes I think you just need to take a break from what you do to take a break, if that makes sense?

Love Sydney's outfit! My daughter wears a dress only for "occassions" and then she gets out of the dress as fast as possible afterwards.

I also see nothing wrong with whipped cream for desert. LOL!

Becky said...

Oh my word!!!! Sydney is just getting more beautiful every time I see her!!! I love the dress, too! She's funny, too......picked by Moses!!!! What a hoot!! Have a good week. Love you all.
Becky

Pauline said...

Ah Sydney, where did the little girl go? Lovely outfit. If you will go back and read your own post today you can see why you've lost some enthusiasm. Your focus is very divided between several ventures. Knock out the must do important stuff for vacation and chores so you will know you've accoumplished what you HAD to. Now you should be able to go back to what love to do without feeling guilty. Do you know ANYONE who would not be frustrated with such a load? I don't.

Unknown said...

I would like to comment on the whipped cream statement first - I think it is wonderful all by itself and have been known to take a sip of heavy cream right out of the carton! I think the found quilt will be wonderful as a Linus quilt. Sydney is beautiful and may just end up being more girlie than the two of you ever thought! I have lost my mojo also - I am able to get 1/8 of a project done and then I go shopping or cook!

Coloradolady said...

I love the fact you two felt under dressed for dinner...that made me smile!!!

Lane, I am like you right now....I think it is because I have so much going on I can not focus on any one thing. I finished a baby quilt to get off to the quilter yesterday, but it took all afternoon to finish and get the back done. I'd sew a seam and off I went to check on something else...I have been frustrated with that as I am not getting anything done!!

I guess this will pass as well!!

Sydney looks beautiful!!! Hard to believe how much she has grown up in such a short amount of time!!

lindaroo said...

"And, I'm slightly put out with my inability to do 15 tasks at a time right now.'

That cracks me up.

Carla said...

Well I had these great plans to be motivated and get more or maybe I should say get something done this year. So much for plans. I can't even do 5 things at once so 15 would really be out of the question.
Sometimes it just happens and since you are a true quilter with talent it will all come back to you. Have faith.
And your daughter is beautiful. She looks lovely in her dress and sandles.

Vesuviusmama said...

Look at Sydney in a dress! Lovely! I was anti-dress for about the first 30 years of my life, and then I finally had my girly moment. Now, it is practically all I wear all summer long.

Elizabeth said...

I'm trying not to laugh about the peaches picked by Moses. I hate wasting food, especially after I've gone to the trouble of making something with it.

Anyway, she's beautiful in that dress!

And I know exactly what you mean about the things that need to be done taking up too much brain capacity. I haven't read or commented on blogs in about two weeks.

xo -E